


Ara'val

by dontknowcats



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Trespasser Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-10-01
Packaged: 2018-04-20 00:26:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4766636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontknowcats/pseuds/dontknowcats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the Trespasser DLC, Cullen and Atheva adjust to normal life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atheva teaches Cullen how to hunt.

“Why do I have to learn how to use this torture device again? Why can’t I use my sword?” Cullen asked, lowering the bow in his arms.

“Because you’ll ruin the meat. If you don’t have a lot of wounds on the animal, then you’ll have more meat to use. And I’m not paying for the overpriced garbage down in the market,” the elf replied as she pushed herself up onto her feet. It had been long enough that it was once again easy for Atheva to catch her balance without Cullen’s help. She walked over to her husband and motioned for him to raise the bow. “I love you, but you’re terrible at this.”

The laugh that erupted from him made her smile, something that had been rare after the Exalted Council. It always brought a warmth to his heart when she was happy after what she had been through. “Alright, alright, now,” she positioned her arms for him to copy. She was lucky he was right handed like her; it made it easier for her to teach him.

“Now let go of the arrow.”

When he did as told, the arrow flew forward only a foot before landing in the ground. Atheva looked down at the stick and towards their dog, Amelan, resting only another foot away. “He’s very lucky you’re worse than you should be.”

Cullen grumbled beneath his breath about how she was an unfair teacher.

“What was that, commander?”

“I, um, was just saying that it isn’t fair to others that I have such a talented teacher,” he said with a nervous smile.

She rolled her eyes and stood onto her toes to kiss his cheek. “If I catch you saying something even worse I may have to do that in front of Mia.”

He chuckled and brought a hand up to his cheek. “Oh, Maker, no. Anything but that,” he purred tauntingly.

Atheva took the bow from him, her fingers stretching as she moved the wood into her left hand.

She was shocked to hear it hit the ground, shocked to see the lower half of her left arm missing when she looked down. She could feel it, but it wasn’t there. Her heart froze in complete fear until she remembered. All of this in the space of a few seconds.

“Fuck,” she hissed before biting her lower lip. Angry tears were threatening to spill over as she reached for the bow. Instead she fell back onto her backside to try and calm down.

“Atheva?” His voice was soft and level, knowing he was treading dangerous territory. The last time this had happened he had gotten an earful. “Would you like me to try again?”

“ _No_.” She took a deep breath, refusing to look up from where her arm was not. “I… I think we’re done for today. Maybe… Maybe tomorrow I can get Rosalie to help.”

She heard the ruffling of him taking a seat behind her, felt his arms wrap around her. His muscles were still as prevalent as ever, even after the disbanding of the Inquisition. Many days she found herself waking up alone as he would already be gone to do his morning training with young warrior hopefuls in the town square.

His chest was firm against her back and his steady breathing helped relax her. Amelan approached the two and pushed his nose against Atheva’s like he always did when she looked sad. She wrapped her arm around the dog’s thick neck and kissed his snout.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s understandable, Atheva. Don’t apologize,” Cullen murmured. “You’ve been through a lot of rough times and you’re going to have low moments. But they pass. And while they happen you’ll have Amelan, Branson, Mia, Rosalie, everyone behind you. I’ll be right beside you, I will help you until the end.”

Hot tears fell down her cheeks as she listened. She took a deep breath and leaned back further against him and scratched beneath Amelan’s chin. “I love you both.”

“And we love yo-“

“Cul! Thevey!” Came the familiar cry of a young child.

Atheva dipped her head and looked away from the small boy that rushed towards her, frantically wiping at her tears.

“Cul, Thevey, dinner’s ready!” The young boy sang, making Cullen smile.

“Go tell Aunt Mia we’ll be there soon. And tell your father that Atheva’s teaching him to hunt tomorrow,” Cullen instructed. The surprise mention of her new student made her chuckle.

Once he’s gone, Atheva turned to face Cullen and kiss him. “You’re still going to learn. This is the last night I eat that nugshit from the market.”

The bubbling mixture of a laugh and groan made her smile once more.


	2. Chapter 2

In the beginning she refused to leave the house without some kind of hood to hide her face. She was ashamed, angry at herself for believing such lies about her own people. When she looked in a mirror, she wanted to scratch at the ink until it was gone.

“Are you dalish?” People would ask when she decided to leave the home without any covering.

“No.”

“Then why do you have those markings?”

“Because I was young and foolish.”

She would leave before any more questions were asked, but when the former Inquisitor was spotted in the market she was quickly surrounded in the beginning.

When he overheard the whispers and the gossip passed on to his siblings, he was hesitant to approach her. He had never considered her markings to be a burden to her, though he had suspected something was wrong when she came to bed one night with her skin rubbed raw and her eyes red from crying. But he had never pushed her then, seeing how much pain she had gone through.

“Atheva?” Cullen asked softly as he entered their bedroom. She was curled up beneath the blankets of their bed, something simple compared to what they had shared at Skyhold. When she failed to respond he walked over and sat on the mattress, removing his boots before laying on his side. He draped an arm over her waist and pulled her form close. “I know you’re awake.”

“What?” She muttered, finally turning her head to try and look at him. She turned beneath his arm to face him and he caught the faint sheen of long-gone tears on her cheeks.

“You’re beautiful. Have I told you that lately?”

That obviously caught her off guard. She froze for a moment, trying to think of what to say. “N-No? I don’t… think so?” She stammered. “But you don’t have to-“

His lips brushed against her forehead. “Oh, but I think I do. I’m going to start saying it every day, even if we’re in front of Mia.”

“No!” She gasped. Her horror, fake or not, made him laugh.

He reached to tilt her chin up and began to kiss along the lines of ink in her skin. He makes sure that she knows exactly what he’s kissing, makes sure that she knows how entrancing the marks are. “Every single part of you. Everything is gorgeous, breathtaking.”

As he kisses over her closed eyes he feels the dampness of her eyelashes.

Her chin trembles with silent sobs as he travels up to her lower lip.

“I love you.” One last peck to her lips. “Vhaynan.”

Her sudden laughter caught him by surprise. “Vehnan. Not… not vhaynan,” she corrected with a giggle.

“You must admit I was much closer than before.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feeling kinda shitty today so I just threw my frustrations onto the page. Unedited, sorry if there's any mistakes ;w;


	3. Chapter 3

"He's better at holding his shield than your soldiers were," Branson said with a laugh.

Cullen scowled and looked down to his nephew. It was true and he couldn’t deny it. “Why couldn’t you have had him a few years earlier? He would have been a great lieutenant.”

“I can’t exactly go back in time like your wife did.”

“Thevey went back in time?!” The boy’s eyes were wide and Cullen couldn’t help but laugh. He was always in awe of stories from the days of the Inquisition, especially if Atheva was front and center.

The former commander laughed and picked the child up. “Branson, you mean to tell me that you never told your son about his hero’s trip through time? What kind of father are you?”

“Yeah, dad!”

“Turn my own son against me, Ser Cullen?” Branson leaned over to grab the wooden sword his son had dropped and raised it up in an attempt to appear threatening. “How dare you, you scoundrel!”

Cullen lifted his own wooden sword and turned his body to hide his nephew from his father’s view. “I can’t help it that he’s practically obsessed with… my wife…” He paused, thinking over his words as his brother giggled like a mad man.

“Thevey!”

Cullen turned around to look towards Branson’s house and was surprised to see Atheva walking over to join them. In the midday sun he noticed dried tears upon her cheeks and quickly set his nephew down. “Atheva?” He whispered when he was close enough, hands cupping her cheeks and thumbs running over the still-wet skin.

“I, um… Can we talk in private?” She asked softly. Then she felt a tug on her pant leg and looked down.

“Did you really go back in time?”

Laughter spilled from her and she shook her head. “No, I did not.” The child looked heartbroken, so she leaned down and kissed his forehead. “But I went forward in time. A whole entire year!”

He looked stunned, unable to move. She ruffled his hair before taking Cullen’s hand and leading him away.

They walked until they were away from town, even their own hut, and near the large pond that they had picnicked at multiple times since their arrival. Atheva paused at the edge of the water and looked down into it for a moment before turning to face her husband.

“Cullen, I… I’m really happy that the Inquisition is gone. I miss our friends, but,” she paused and gripped the messenger crystal around her neck, “They’re never too far. I know Dorian will be visiting soon, at least. Even if he says he can’t.” She smiled at the thought of one of her friends returning to her side, remembering how he had cussed over the crystal when she had spoken to him last.

“Why is Dorian visiting? Is everything alright?” Cullen’s eyebrows knit together in worry for his wife’s safety.

“I visited the healer and the surgeon today.”

“Both?” She could barely hear the word leave him.

“Yes.” She lifted her hand up to caress his cheek and grinned. “I’m so happy we aren’t with the Inquisition anymore. We don’t have to worry for our baby.”

It took a few moments, but understanding finally began to show on his features. His arms were immediately around her, lifting her up off the ground and spinning her around. “You’re pregnant!” He cried, laughter following. “You’re… Maker, you’re pregnant!” He stopped spinning her and dropped her back onto her feet, fear now playing over his face. “Do you think-“

“I’m sure they’re fine, Cullen. You’ll always make sure of that, I know it.”

He pulled her into a fierce kiss and grabbed her hand in his. His other hand slid over her belly, fingers spelling out a brief hello to his child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this won't be the last chapter about the pregnancy i promise heheheheh


End file.
